A former Charlestown man convicted of killing his wife was sentenced Friday to 30 years to life in prison.

A former Charlestown man convicted of killing his wife was sentenced Friday to 30 years to life in prison.

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Updated: 5:30 PM EDT Apr 3, 2015

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WEBVTT WMUR'S ANDY HERSHBERGER IS LIVE IN THE NEWSROOM WITH MORE. REPORTER: PROSECUTORS TOLD THE JUDGE THAT JAMES ROW BARGE IMPOSED THE DEATH SENTENCE ON HIS WIFE OF 20 YEARS SIMPLY BECAUSE SHE WANTED TO GET OUT OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP. THIS STORY DOES CONTAIN SOME STRONG LANGUAGE. A MARRIAGE LICENSE IS NOT A LICENSE TO KILL. REPORTER: SAYING THE MOTIVE FOR MURDER WAS CLEARLY HIS CRUMBLING MARRIAGE, PROSECUTORS ASKED FOR 40 YEARS IN PRISON FOR JAMES ROBARGE. THE 45-YEAR-OLD WAS CONVICTED OF SECOND DEGREE MURDER FOR KILLING HIS WIFE KELLY, A CRIME FAMILY MEMBERS SAY HAS TORN THEM APART. LOSING MY MOM HAS MADE MY LIFE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. BUT I DIDN'T ONLY LOSE HER, I HAVE ALSO LOST MY DAD. THIS WHOLE EXPERIENCE HAS MADE ME FEEL LONELY, AND FORCED ME TO GROW UP FASTER THAN I SHOULD HAVE. REPORTER: PROSECUTORS SAY ROBARGE BEAT HIS WIFE TO DEATH ON JUNE 27, 2013, THE DAY KELLY FILED FOR DIVORCE. PROSECUTORS SAY SHE WAS POSSIBLY STILL ALIVE WHEN HE THREW HER IN HIS TRUNK AND DUMPED HER IN THE WOODS OF UNITY. I MISS BOTH OF MY PARENTS AND WOULD DO ALMOST ANYTHING TO SEE MY MOTHER'S BEAUTIFUL FACE AGAIN. I KNOW MY MOM IS WATCHING OVER ME AND HELPING ME GET THROUGH ALL OF THIS, BUT I STILL MISS BOTH MY PARENTS. I WISH THIS NEVER HAPPENED TO MY FAMILY. REPORTER: ROBARGE TESTIFIED AT TRIAL, INSISTING HE WAS INNOCENT. THOUGH MANY OF HIS STATEMENTS CONFLICTED WITH THE STATE'S PHYSICAL EVIDENCE THAT INCLUDED THINGS LIKE BLOOD AND CELL PHONE RECORDS. ROBARGE HAD A STATEMENT READ TO HIS DAUGHTERS BY HIS LAWYERS SAYING HOW MUCH HE LOVED THEM. JUDGE TUCKER SENTENCED HIM TO 30 YEARS TO LIFE. I HEARD YOU SAY MORE THAN ONCE THAT YOU WERE GOING TO KILL HER IF SHE EVER LEFT YOU. YOU NEVER DESERVED KELLY OR ANYONE LIKE KELLY. I HOPE YOU ROT IN HELL. REPORTER: THE PROSECUTOR SAYS SHE HOPES THIS SENDS A MESSAGE THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DRIVEN MURDERS WILL BE DEALT WITH VERY HARSHLY IN THIS STATE.